Cost of Living Comparison Between Suzhou and Olsztyn Cost of Living Comparison Between Suzhou and Olsztyn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $971 in Suzhou versus $1,464 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,597 in Suzhou versus $1,997 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,223 in Suzhou versus $2,531 in Olsztyn.

Living in Suzhou costs roughly 34% less than in Olsztyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Suzhou is 28% below, Olsztyn is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.23 ¥28.59

$10.65 zł 38.84

-60.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.28 ¥279

$46.46 zł 169

-11.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 ¥38.61

$7.51 zł 27.37

-23.97%

Cappuccino

$3.93 ¥26.54

$2.96 zł 10.80

32.77%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.22

$1.69 zł 6.16

-1.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.97

$1.84 zł 6.69

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 ¥28.82

$3.27 zł 11.94

30.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 ¥38.52

$3.82 zł 13.93

49.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ¥16.44

$1.10 zł 4.03

120.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 ¥16.93

$1.32 zł 4.82

89.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.81

$1.50 zł 5.46

-23.33%

Eggs

$1.98 ¥13.37

$3.45 zł 12.59

-42.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.82 ¥141

$8.89 zł 32.40

134.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ¥25.09

$6.01 zł 21.92

-38.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ¥52.5

$10.06 zł 36.69

-22.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ¥14.49

$1.10 zł 4.00

94.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.58 zł 5.75

3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ¥10.69

$2.04 zł 7.43

-22.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 ¥9.22

$2.78 zł 10.14

-51.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.63

$0.79 zł 2.89

-12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$1.24 zł 4.50

-4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥6.68

$1.15 zł 4.19

-13.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.39

$0.68 zł 2.46

-26.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ¥28.38

$5.57 zł 20.30

-24.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.7

$8.14 zł 29.68

26.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.29

$1.02 zł 3.71

-8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ¥18.81

$1.71 zł 6.23

62.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.96

$1.12 zł 4.08

-74.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.59 ¥281

$27.10 zł 98.8

53.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ¥11.91

$1.98 zł 7.21

-11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.74 zł 2.69

-52.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 ¥57.2

$13.79 zł 50.3

-38.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.78 zł 6.48

-33.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K ¥143.2K

$32.8K zł 119.4K

-35.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.3K ¥157.8K

$30.8K zł 112.3K

-24.26%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$117 ¥794

$271 zł 989

-56.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.88 ¥101

$9.10 zł 33.18

63.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 ¥78.0

$17.49 zł 63.7

-34.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 ¥431

$32.68 zł 119

95.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 ¥129

$16.36 zł 59.6

16.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ¥46.50

$8.01 zł 29.18

-14.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$787 ¥5,324

$133 zł 486

490.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ¥113.4K

$15.6K zł 56.8K

7.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥365

$96.0 zł 350

-43.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.30 ¥239

$46.72 zł 170

-24.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥487

$82.9 zł 302

-13.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥629

$108 zł 394

-13.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 ¥2,758

$640 zł 2,332

-36.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ¥1,379

$551 zł 2,007

-62.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ¥6,566

$979 zł 3,568

-0.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ¥3,572

$608 zł 2,218

-13.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 ¥35.7K

$3,992 zł 14.6K

32.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,783 ¥18.8K

$2,823 zł 10.3K

-1.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,339 ¥9,055

$1,472 zł 5,364

-9.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.86

5.81

-33.56%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Suzhou: May 31, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Suzhou and $640 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olsztyn pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Suzhou vs $46.00 in Olsztyn. Groceries flip the comparison at $245 vs $210, with Olsztyn cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Suzhou vs Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Suzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Olsztyn earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $408 in Suzhou versus $640 in Olsztyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Olsztyn pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Suzhou – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $46.00 in Olsztyn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $971 in Suzhou versus $1,464 in Olsztyn, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Suzhou but tight or insufficient in Olsztyn. The gap between the two cities makes Suzhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Suzhou and Olsztyn are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Suzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Olsztyn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.